Jill on Money with Jill Schlesinger

Latest Episodes:

BONUS call: Student Loan Debt Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

Should you use your emergency reserve to tackle your student loan debt? That's what Kristin from Florida was wondering on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

How Congress Governs the Federal Reserve Mar 22, 2018

Show notes

This week marked the first time the press spotlight was on Jerome Powell, the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve. It was just a few weeks ago that Powell succeeded Janet Yellen, and as expected, the Fed just announced another quarter-point increase in short term interest rates, a sign that the economy continues to grow. It’s probably safe to say that the average person thinks the Federal Reserve is this big stone building in D.C. that does its own thing, if people are thinking about the central bank at all! But the truth of the matter is that not a lot comes out of the Fed without running things by another big stone building, the one that houses the Senate and House of Representatives. To help pull back the curtain a bit on the complicated relationship between the Fed and Congress, we are joined by my childhood friend and Fed expert, Mark Spindel, who along with Sarah Binder, recently published: The Myth of Independence: How Congress Governs the Federal Reserve. The pages trace the Fed’s transformation from its roots as a weak, secretive, and decentralized institution in 1913 to a remarkably transparent central bank a century later. Offering a unique account of Congress’s role in steering this evolution, the book explores the Fed’s past, present, and future and challenge the myth of its independence. Examining the interdependent relationship between Congress and its central bank, The Myth of Independence presents critical insights about the future of monetary and fiscal policies that drive the nation’s economy. Thankfully, the Fed today retains enough power to prevent lawmakers and the president from completely controlling monetary policy. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

BONUS call: Roth IRA Conversion Mar 20, 2018

Show notes

Another week, another BONUS call where we're once again discussing the benefits of using a Roth retirement vehicle. Today's question comes from Marshall (and his daughter) in Virginia. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Thinking in Bets with Annie Duke Mar 15, 2018

Show notes

Daily life requires numerous decisions. Some easy, some difficult. And some that have to be made without knowing a lot of pertinent information. And what we think is the best decision in the moment, doesn’t necessarily yield the best outcome. No one knows this better than our guest this week, Annie Duke. As a former professional poker player and world champion, Annie made a living based on high pressure decision making and shares the story in her new book, Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts. There’s always an element of luck that you can’t control, and there is always information that is hidden from view. So perhaps the key to long-term success (and avoiding worrying yourself to death) is to think in bets:How sure am I?What are the possible ways things could turn out?What decision has the highest odds of success?Did I land in the unlucky 10% on the strategy that works 90% of the time?Or is my success attributable to dumb luck rather than great decision making? For most people, it’s difficult to say “I’m not sure” in a world that values and, even, rewards the appearance of certainty. By shifting your thinking from a need for certainty to a goal of accurately assessing what you know and what you don’t, you’ll be less vulnerable to reactive emotions, knee-jerk biases, and destructive habits in your decision making. You’ll become more confident, calm, compassionate and successful in the long run. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

BONUS call: Social Investing Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

I've been taking listener calls for nearly eight years and I think this is the first social investing question we've received. How can you make sure you're not investing in companies that you don't support, such as gun manufacturers? That's the question this week on the latest BONUS call with Russell from Las Vegas. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Presence with Amy Cuddy Mar 08, 2018

Show notes

Life is full of challenges, both personally and professionally. Today’s interview with Amy Cuddy is the perfect example. It took a full year to pin her down, and that’s no exaggeration! But Amy was well-worth the wait. I was enchanted with her from the start of our conversation. Have you ever left a nerve-racking challenge and immediately wished for a do over? Maybe after a job interview, a performance, or a difficult conversation? The very moments that require us to be genuine and commanding can instead cause us to feel phony and powerless. Too often we approach our lives' biggest hurdles with dread, execute them with anxiety, and leave them with regret. By accessing our personal power, we can achieve "presence," the state in which we stop worrying about the impression we're making on others and instead adjust the impression we've been making on ourselves. Does this sound a bit out there to you? RELAX...Amy breaks it down in a way that resonates. We don't need to embark on a grand spiritual quest or complete an inner transformation to harness the power of presence. Instead, we need to nudge ourselves, moment by moment, by tweaking our body language, behavior, and mind-set in our day-to-day lives. To get started, consider this: “Listening is crucial to presence...Real listening can’t happen unless we have a sincere desire to understand what we’re hearing.” Amy Cuddy has galvanized tens of millions of viewers around the world with her TED talk about "power poses." With the paperback release of her bestselling book, Presence, she teaches us how to use simple techniques to liberate ourselves from fear in high-pressure moments, perform at our best, and connect with and empower others to do the same. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

BONUS call: Timing the Market Mar 06, 2018

Show notes

If you know anything about me then you know how I feel when it comes to people who think they can successfully time the market. Our BONUS caller this week, Paul from Connecticut, is convinced he knows how the market will perform in 2018. Great call! Have a finance related question? Go to jillonmoney.com for all the contact info and we'll arrange to get you on. Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Tax Season Identity Theft Mar 01, 2018

Show notes

Tax season is like the Super Bowl for identity thieves and that means that you need to be on high alert for scams. Here’s some that you need to guard against: IRS Phone ScamWhere someone pretending to be from the IRS contacts a consumer stating they owe back taxes and threatens them with jail time if they don't pay. These fraudsters prey on fear and many consumers give in, paying a bogus fee through prepaid card, wiring money or even an iTunes card. Golden rule - the IRS never calls, emails or texts. If you receive these calls, hang up.W-2 ScamImposters are using phishing schemes to target the HR departments of businesses asking for W-2 or W-9 information. In these spear phishing schemes, the emails appear legitimate but they are designed to steal important financial documents. If you receive this email or text, don't respond.Child ID TheftFraudsters target children's data because they have clean, pristine credit profiles and they can use this data for a host of ID theft schemes, including tax related, medical, financial and even criminal. Parents need to be on high alert for child ID theft and should create a credit profile for their child and then freeze it.Medicare and Social Security ScamsMedicare and Social Security beneficiaries across the country report receiving calls from scam operators (frequently with foreign accents), who claim to represent Medicare, Social Security, or an insurance company.These callers claim that new Medicare, Social Security, or supplemental insurance benefits cards are being issued or that the beneficiary’s file must be updated. The scam artist asks the consumer to verify or provide their personal banking information, which the scammer then uses to commit ID theft.The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration will not call you to ask you to disclose personal or financial information.To combat tax fraud, consumers need to file early, take advantage of the PIN if they have been a victim of fraud, use long and strong passwords, enable two factor authentication, use legitimate tax preparers, store important tax docs on an encrypted thumb drive and never give out personal or financial info to someone who contacts you, even if the caller ID looks legit. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

BONUS call: 401(k) vs Roth 401(k) Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

In what is quickly becoming one of the most common questions we get, today we're discussing the Roth 401(k) option now being offered by many employers. Should you use it if available? Have a finance related question? Go to jillonmoney.com for all the contact info and we'll arrange to get you on. Don't forget, a brand new episode of the Better Off podcast comes out Thursday so stay tuned for more listener questions plus an informative interview. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Tax Season Tips with Ed Slott Feb 22, 2018

Show notes

With tax season in full swing, it’s time for some much needed tax tips, dos and don’ts, and sage advice about IRAs and backdoor conversions. As crazy as this might sound, you may want to enjoy this tax year while it lasts, because come next year, it’s going to get a whole lot crazier with all the changes to the tax code. While almost all of the changes go into effect next tax season, one big change occurs this year. If you itemize deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A, the new law allows you to deduct qualified medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI) – that’s a lower threshold than the previous 10 percent. (The level returns to 10 percent beginning January 1, 2019.) Medical care expenses is a big category and you should check out the IRS list, because it includes payments of fees to doctors, dentists, surgeons, chiropractors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and nontraditional medical practitioners, as well as insurance premiums you paid for policies that cover medical care or for a qualified long-term care insurance policy. With new withholding tables in effect, the amount may not be enough to cover a lot of taxpayers, especially those in high tax states who could lose certain deductions. To be safe, at least for the first year of the new law, you may want to assume that your tax liability will be at least the same as this year. To avoid a penalty, you can pay 100 percent of your income tax liability from 2017 or 110 percent if you earn more than $150,000. To get a better sense of your situation, be sure to check out the revised IRS withholding tax calculator on IRS.gov. And oh yeah, once again, due to a Washington DC holiday (Emancipation Day), the filing deadline is delayed. Procrastinators, mark April 17th, rather than April 15th as your drop-dead date. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. For a recap of every episode, visit https://www.betterment.com/resources/topics/inside-betterment/better-off-podcast/ Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/ https://twitter.com/jillonmoney https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/ https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/ http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money http://betteroffpodcast.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Jill on Money with Jill Schlesinger

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected